Rapid Shift

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The politics of wishful thinking: American cities and their commitment to the expressway Yonah Freemark » If cities want to reduce automobile use and address climate change, the status quo simply isn’t good enough. In Chicago, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform the lakeshore could turn into a step backwards. For American cities, highways are a drug. They’re expensive to acquire. …

Passengers in Seattle can now choose between driving themselves via car-sharing or hailing a ride from a professional driver, through the same app. BMW-owned ReachNow has announced an all-new experience which operates both car-sharing and ride-hailing from the same app. ReachNow Members in Seattle can now access both ReachNow ‘Drive’, a car-sharing service where they drive themselves and ReachNow ‘Ride’, a …

By Joe Romm on July 30, 2018 STEAM RISES FROM GERMANY’S GRAFENRHEINFELD NUCLEAR POWER PLANT ON JUNE 11, 2015. CREDIT: SEAN GALLUP/GETTY IMAGES New nuclear plants are “ridiculously expensive” and “uncompetitive” compared to solar power, longtime nuclear industry advocate Nobuo Tanaka explained recently. Tanaka is also the former head of the International Energy Agency. At the same time, existing U.S. nuclear power plants are “bleeding cash,” as Bloomberg has repeatedly …

“It’s burning differently. It’s burning more aggressive than it has in years past. And I know we say that every year, but it’s unprecedented.” Vice: Thousands of firefighters are battling unprecedented fatal wildfires in California. By Alissa Greenberg and Jason Wilson in Redding, for The Guardian, Tue 31 Jul 2018 Homes destroyed by the Carr fire in Redding, California. Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Roger Gray …

By Bob Berwyn, Inside Climate News, 28 July 2018 Extreme heat killed more than 80 people in Japan in July, just a few weeks after flooding from downpours was blamed for more than 200 deaths there. Martin Bureau/Getty Images Earth’s global warming fever spiked to deadly new highs across the Northern Hemisphere this summer, and we’re feeling the results—extreme heat …

By Kate Yoder on Jul 30, 2018, Grist.com, Should big corporations pay for clean energy? Portland voters will decide. Reverend E.D. Mondainé, president of the NAACP Portland Branch and chief petitioner of the Portland Clean Energy Fund. Rick Rappaport / Portland Clean Energy Fund A new ballot initiative in Portland would raise $30 million a year for clean energy through a tax on …

By Patrick Sisson Jul 17, 2018 As part of the Sacramento Green City electric vehicle program, a fleet of Envoy shared electric cars will be available at dozens of buildings across the city. Envoy Sacramento, California, can often be under-appreciated. While the growing city is in the midst of a building boom, and just opened a high-tech new basketball arena, it’s mostly known as the …

The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of the 21 youth plaintiffs in Juliana v. United States, the constitutional climate lawsuit filed against the federal government. The Court denied the Trump administration’s application for stay, preserving the U.S. District Court’s trial start date of October 29, 2018. The Court also denied the government’s “premature” request to review the case …

The Taxi Workers Alliance believes the decision will be “broadly precedential,” and creates a new “safety net” for a beleaguered workforce. | AP Photo By DANA RUBINSTEIN, Politico.com 07/18/2018 07:01 PM EDT In what worker advocates are calling a substantial victory that could impact Uber drivers statewide, the New York State labor review board has made a final determination that three …

“How much might workers have benefited if companies had devoted their financial resources to them rather than to shareholders? Lowe’s, CVS, and Home Depot could have provided each of their workers a raise of $18,000 a year, the report found. Starbucks could have given each of its employees $7,000 a year, and McDonald’s could have given $4,000 to each of …